When daughter Laura Beth was born after roughly 15 hours of medically induced labor, Dean and Beth Steinman held her, took her picture and made arrangements for her burial.

Laura Beth was stillborn in February 1991.

Like 250 other area parents, the Pennsburg couple soon sought comfort in Resolve Through Sharing, a support group for people who have experienced pregnancy loss, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Yesterday, members of the Grand View Hospital chapter of this national support group met at Peace Valley Park, Chalfont, to hold a memorial service and to plant a tree in memory of their lost children.

Yesterday's ceremony marked the sixth "Walk to Remember" organized by the group.

Sitting at a picnic table under Pavilion B, the Steinmans relived the agony and the indescribable sense of loss they experienced less than two years ago.

"It was like a bad dream ... you never think something like this could happen to you," Dean said.

The Steinmans explained that for seven months, Beth's pregnancy had been uneventful -- until the day Beth realized she hadn't felt any fetal movement for two or three days and called Dean at work.

At Grand View Hospital, medical personnel utilized a fetal heart monitor, but could find no heartbeat and offered the Steinmans several options, including inducing labor.

"We knew then that something was wrong," Dean said, and the couple opted to induce.

And even though doctors warned the Steinmans that Laura Beth would most likely be stillborn, the couple held on to a small hope, which may have helped see Beth through her labor.

"Part of you wants to think (the diagnosis) is a mistake, like `this isn't going to happen,'" Dean said.

According to the Steinmans, Grand View medical staff helped the couple tremendously, and referred them to Resolve Through Sharing.

"The first two or three weeks, we were walking around like zombies," Dean said, even though friends and family of the couple were very supportive.

The Steinmans began attending Resolve Through Sharing meetings a month later.

"You feel better knowing you're not the only one to go through this," Beth explained.

Dean and Beth said the meetings helped them to overcome feelings of anger and despair.

Dean quoted studies which show a high rate of divorce for couples who have undergone pregnancy loss, studies which Resolve Through Sharing coordinator Diane Carp confirmed.

"I decided there was no way we were going to become a statistic," Dean said as he looked at Beth.

A few minutes later, the Steinmans and roughly 35 other people quietly walked to an open, grassy area and formed a half-circle around a small hole recently dug into the earth.

A trio of women strumming acoustic guitars sang an old Cat Stevens tune, "Morning Has Broken," signaling the beginning of the memorial, which included relevant poetry readings and comforting, uplifting songs.

Before the small witch hazel shrub was planted next to three other small trees, each parent placed into the earth a small sheet of paper bearing his or her child's name.

Carp explained the trees are especially important to women and couples who have suffered early miscarriage, and therefore have no grave at which to visit their children.

During the memorial service, several young children timidly approached the shrub to play with three Canada geese that had wandered into the middle of the memorial and refused to leave.

And although many people cried during the service, many more smiled at the sight of these children; perhaps as a celebration of life ahead rather than the mourning of past losses.

After all, Beth Steinman was beaming when she announced she is three months pregnant.